


Thank You

by Wind_Writes



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Love, Romance, Soft Sweet Pea (Riverdale), Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 15:34:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17748584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wind_Writes/pseuds/Wind_Writes
Summary: Izzy won't let herself get too excited about Valentine's Day, just incase it doesn't happen. Lucky for her, Tara is there to make sure Sweet Pea doesn't forget.





	Thank You

**Author's Note:**

> Written for theme 1: Sweet Romance for Fall in Love with Riverdale: A Valentine’s Event @riverdale-events
> 
> Because Set It Up is basking in the glow of a slow burn, I needed to scratch my itch for a cute couple moment between Sweet Pea and Izzy and what better way to do that than with a Valentine’s Day fic!

“Izzy? Hello… earth to Izzy!” **  
**

From somewhere in the lounge a wad of paper came flying, the wasted school supply hitting it’s mark right in the center of her forehead. Marking where she left off with her thumb, Izzy glanced over the top of the Jane Austen hardcover to see a perturbed looking Tara settled in a chair across from her. “What?”

“I’ve only been trying to have a conversation with you for the last fifteen minutes!”

Looking back down at the words on the page, Izzy picked up where she had left off with Elinor and Marianne. “Not to question your skills of perception or anything, but I feel like the book in front of my face would have been a hint that I wasn’t listening.”

“Well… how about you put that book away and pay attention to your best friend who is having an existential crisis about Valentine’s Day.”

Sighing heavily, Izzy slipped a bookmark between the pages and closed the hardcover with a snap, she wouldn’t get anymore reading done until Tara was satisfied the two of them had solved her crisis. “Ok…what’s the problem?”

“Uh, the fact that I’m single for this stupid holiday is the problem!”

Izzy gave her best friend a confused look, this was the first time she’d ever seen Tara get so worked up about the ridiculous holiday. For years the two of them had laughed at all the drama that surrounded the boxes of gamble chocolates and overpriced flowers, the entertainment of watching girls in the hall freak out when they didn’t get an admirer carnation or some shit the only reason to enjoy the stupid event. “We’re always single for this holiday.”

“There is no we in this conversation anymore girly.” Catching sight of the new regulars in their circle, Tara pointed as the two boys made their way into the lounge. “Since you started going steady with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome, I’ve become the Lone Ranger on this lonely single road.”

“Did someone say my name?” Hitting Tara with a teasing grin, Fangs fell into a chair beside her as Sweet Pea grabbed a seat next to Izzy, his arm resting across the back of the couch.

“Not you Casanova, you’re brooding counterpart.”

Settling closer to Sweet Pea, Izzy smiled as the mix of spice and wintergreen that was uniquely him surrounded her. “Would you like me to break up with him so we can be single together again?”

Eyes bright at the idea, Tara gave Izzy her sweetest smile, “Well… if you’re offering”

“No.” Piping up for the first time since sitting down, Sweet Pea draped his arm around Izzy’s shoulders and pulled her flush against his side. After all the heartburn the two of them had gone through, there was no way he was going to let Tara pry her way into this. “I try and stay out of the warped friendship sisterhood the two of you have, but I’m putting my foot down on this one. No, she isn’t offering.”

Unable to stop the smile that made its way across her lips, Izzy tried her best to be sympathetic to Tara’s plight. This was the first time in their years of friendship that either of them had someone besides one another to be with on the day; hallmark made holiday or not Izzy couldn’t say she wouldn’t be feeling the same as Tara if the roles were switched. “So why is this a crisis, Tara?”

“Because! While you’re off in some romantic la la land with that cool drink of water I’ll be home, alone, drowning my sorrows into a pint of Ben and Jerry’s while watching PS I Love You for the thousandth time.”

“Ok, first of all- you have got to stop watching that movie.”

“I can’t… Gerard Butler has my heart”. Hands over her heart, Tara sighed romantically at the mention of the famous actor. While Izzy had a thing for Canadian hockey players, Tara preferred her dream men to have sexy accents and bodies of a god.

“And secondly, I’m not going to be off in some romantic la la land. I’m working at the rink tonight.”

“Hold the phone.” Tara’s eyes widened in alarm, the hazel orbs jumping between the couple settled comfortably on the couch despite the declaration. “Instead of enjoying quality time with this gorgeous specimen of a man”, Tara motioned towards a stoic Sweet Pea, the amusement in his eyes the only show of emotion, “you’re going to hang around in one of the most unromantic places in this damn town?”

Shrugging her shoulders, Izzy idly fanned the pages of her book. While they hadn’t talked about Valentine’s Day, she’d just assumed he hadn’t given it much thought. While she enjoyed romance as much as the next girl, she was also to practical to let the idea run wild and letting herself think that something had been planned would only hurt when reality came knocking and nothing had happened. Really, she was doing him and her a favor. “Men’s hockey league is playing in some tournament. They left this morning- I told Lance I’d help Damian. And I’ve still got pee wee hockey to coach. Besides, it’s just another day in February- why make a big deal out of it.”

Besides hockey Izzy rarely made a big deal out of anything so it was no surprise to Tara that this was her friend’s attitude when it came to the couple holiday; it was evident that Izzy was going to let the day pass by like nothing happened, so as her best friend, Tara was going to have to take it upon herself to make sure it didn’t. Gone were her concerns for her own sad state of affairs, instead Tara was going to make sure it was known that Izzy didn’t get forgotten this year. “Why make a big deal out of it? Uh, because you finally have someone to celebrate it with.”

“I’d be more than happy to volunteer my services and celebrate with you, Tara.”

Turning up her lip, Tara watched as a sly grin spread across Fangs’ features. She liked the hell out of the light-hearted Serpent, but his reputation with the ladies was infamous. “Fogarty, the line to celebrate Valentine’s Day with you is as long as the deli line on a Saturday. Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Just offering…”

Rolling her eyes at the ridiculous conversation revolving around a stupid holiday, Izzy shoved her book into the backpack at her feet, “On that note, I’ve gotta talk to Coach Morgan.” Leaving a quick peck on Sweet Pea’s cheek, Izzy hefted herself off the couch. “I’ll see ya later.” Swinging her bag over her shoulder she just shook her head as Tara and Fangs continued to argue about how many valentines dates he actually had as she slipped from the student lounge and towards the gym.

Sweet Pea watched Izzy disappear from sight, her lack of interest in Valentine’s Day sending a wave of disappointment through him. While he hadn’t planned anything extravagant, he had been hoping to at least take her to a nice dinner at that Italian place she loved so much in Centerville, but now it seemed like that plan was out the window.

“Hey, Friday night special…”

Lifting a brow at Tara’s creative name calling, Sweet Pea focused on his girlfriend’s hazel eyed best friend. “Why do you have to call me everything but my name?”

“Because it amuses the hell outta me.” Glancing at the door as if to make sure Izzy truly had left, Tara hit Sweet Pea with the most serious look he’d ever seen on her face outside the hockey rink. “You better be planning something for Valentine’s Day…”

“Did you not just hear what she said?”

“Oh, I heard her. And she’s full of shit. She just says that so when you don’t do something she isn’t disappointed.”

“Now that’s just messed up. If she wants him to do something, why doesn’t she just say that?”

“Seriously, Fangs… you even have to ask that?” Rolling her eyes at his ignorance, Tara gave him an annoyed side eyed look before focusing back on Sweet Pea. “If she says something then that takes the romance out of it and makes the whole thing pointless.”

“What the hell can I do in an ice rink?”

As the echo of the next period bell rang through the lounge, Tara grabbed her bag and crawled from the comfort of the chair as bodies started to crowd the hallway. “I don’t know, Sasquatch. But you better think of something.”

Unsure of what to do, Sweet Pea looked to Fangs for advice and all his friend could offer was a shrug of his shoulders. Groaning at the lack of help, Sweet Pea glared at his fellow Serpent as they made their way towards the hall, “For someone who has a way with women, you are no help.”

Pee wee hockey was just wrapping up as Sweet Pea let himself into the rink, parents and kids frantically shoving gear into bags to try and get home in time for dinner. Taking a seat at the end of stands Sweet Pea watched as Izzy handed out little bags of Valentine’s Day candy, a smile crossing his lips as kids hugged her enthusiastically in thanks. Even after months of hanging around the rink while she coached, he was always in awe at how easily she dropped her guard around the kids.

Watching the last of her young team file through the rink doors, Izzy’s eyes widened in surprise when she caught sight of Sweet Pea in the stands. Shoving her skates into her own bag, Izzy made her way towards the stands; they had sort of made a plan to meet up at Pop’s after she was done with work so seeing him at the rink now had her confused. “What are you doing here? I thought I was meeting you at the diner later?”

“I was in the area, thought I’d stop by and see my favorite girl.”

Butterflies fluttering in her stomach, Izzy couldn’t help but smile at him; she had assumed with time the butterflies he sent through her system would fade, but all these months later she was still getting them and she sincerely hoped she always would. Catching sight of a white bag at Sweet Pea’s feet, Izzy’s brows furrowed in confusion. “What’s in the bag?”

Almost sheepishly Sweet Pea placed the bag from Mario’s on the bench in front of him, a wry grin on his lips as Izzy’s eyes widened in shock. “I know you said you’re not a Valentine’s kind of girl so I skipped out on the flowers and chocolates, but I figured you wouldn’t turn down good Italian.”

“You brought me Mario’s?”

“Yeah…”

“From Centerville?”

“Yeah…”

Doing her best to wrap her head around his gesture, Izzy looked from the bag of food to Sweet Pea and back again. She had never considered Sweet Pea the romantic type, more of a love you quietly type of guy instead of the gesture maker, but in her limited experience in that department she was pretty sure bringing your girlfriend her favorite food without even being asked is one of the top five romantic gestures a man could make. “You drove all the way to Centerville to pick up Italian food from my favorite restaurant and delivered it to me at work on Valentine’s Day even though I said it was just another day.”

Uncomfortable with her lack of excitement, Sweet Pea anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting, but how she was looking at him was not it. “Are you ok with this or not. I can’t really tell from the look on your face?”

Chucking as Sweet Pea eyed her wearily, Izzy stepped over the bench to kiss him, his lips yielding under hers, “Of course I’m ok with this.” Offering him her brightest smile, she grabbed a seat beside him and intertwined her hand with his, head resting against his shoulder. “Thank you.”

Releasing a sigh of relief, Sweet Pea grazed his thumb against the back of her hand as he smiled down at her. It wasn’t often he got see that smile, usually her choice emotion a stellar resting bitch face and an eye roll, so that fact that he could do something that brought it out sent a thrill through his system. Placing a chaste kiss atop her head, Sweet Pea relished in her familiar vanilla scent and the feel of her small hand in his. “Anytime, babe.”

Turning to look up at him, Izzy’s features sobered a little. She knew she wasn’t the easiest person in the world to deal with and the fact that Sweet Pea had gone out of his way to make her feel special meant more to her than he could ever imagine. “Seriously. Thank you. Thank you for not bringing me flowers and chocolates, for driving all the way to Centerville just for my favorite food, for doing something special for me even though I said it was a stupid holiday, and for just…for making me feel special on a stupid holiday.”

Tucking a loose strand of hair that had escaped her braid, Sweet Pea smiled at her sincerity, “I can’t take all the credit. Tara may have hinted that I should do something…”

“Remind me to thank her too.” Placing a tender kiss on his lips, Izzy offered him a flirtatious smile as she sat back, her green eyes dancing with amusement. “With men’s league out of town and Cora out doing god knows what with Archie, I’ve got the house to myself. How about you come over and I’ll thank you properly for buying me dinner.”

Giving her an approving look Sweet Pea’s lips hovered just above Izzy’s as he spoke, eyes darkening with something a little heavier than humor, “What kind of man would I be if I turned down such generosity.”


End file.
